Der’a (19 rebels, 30 civilians). 26 civilians (including 5 women) were killed by the bombardment and clashes taking place in the towns of Sanamein and Ghabagheb. 16 rebels were killed by the fighting there. 1 child was killed by gunfire in the village of Ruweisat, activists state regime forces are responsible.

Reef Dimashq (19 rebels, 7 civilians). 19 rebels killed by clashes and bombardment on Harasta, Darayya, Douma, and the Qalamoun area. 2 civilians, 1 a child, were killed by the bombardment on Mou’adamiya. 1 young man from the town of Bludan was tortured to death in regime detention centres.

Hama (11 rebels). 4 rebels killed by the Tel Othman checkpoint during clashes. 4 by clashes in the Qusoor neighbourhood of Hama.

Homs (9 rebels, 5 civilians). 6 rebels killed by clashes in the Um Sharshouh area of Reef Homs. 1 child was killed by the bombardment on Talbisa. 3 men from the village of al-Diba and from the Bab al-Siba’ neighbourhood were tortured to death in regime detention centres.

Deir Ezzour (7 rebels) 7 rebels, 1 a rebel leader, by clashes in the Jisr Wadi al-Ein area near the al-Hejeif village. 3 rebels killed by clashes in the Muwazafeen neighbourhood of Deir Ezzour.

Aleppo (4 rebels, 4 civilians). 4 rebels killed by clashes by the Kweiris military airport, the Henderat camp, and the Kendi hospital. 2 men were killed by the bombardment on the Henderat camp.

Hasakah (2 civilians). 2 civilians were killed after unknown gunmen fired at a civilian bus near the Kabakib area, between the cities of Deir Ezzour and Tadmur.

A defected captain, who lead a rebel battalion, was killed by clashes in Reef Hama. 2 defected soldiers killed by clashes in Reef Der’a.

29 regular soldiers were killed by clashes and attacks on checkpoints: 6 in Aleppo, 8 in Hama, 5 in Damascus and Reef Dimashq, 4 in Homs, 6 in Der’a.

4 unidentified rebel fighters were killed by clashes and bombardment.

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Reports that 10 Syrian Beduin civilians were killed by unknown gunmen on the Tartous-Homs highway. The family of 10 (mother, father and their 8 children) were reportedly found killed inside a tent by the road.

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al-Hasaka province: Fighters from the Kurdish defence units (YPG) took control of the al-Nasra neighbourhood of al-Hasaka city after violent clashes yesterday with pro regime militants in the neighbourhood, clashes led to the death of 1 YPG fighter and 5 pro regime militants. Kurdish Defence units control most of the Kurdish cities in al-Hasaka province. 2 civilians from the al-Qameshli area were killed when unknown gunmen shot on their bus near the Kabakeb area in between the cities of Deir Izzor and Palmyra, 5 civilian passengers were injured.

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Aleppo province: Clashes are still ongoing between rebel fighters and regular forces in several parts of al-Kandi hospital and its surrounding areas. It has been confirmed that 4 regular forces were killed by clashes with Kurdish defence units (YPG) in the al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood of Aleppo city at night of Tuesday. Several civilians were wounded by mortar shells on the al-Sukari neighbourhood of the city.

“The secretary will be attending the next core group meeting in Istanbul on Saturday the 20th,” the official said, asking not to be identified.

But the official, speaking in London where Kerry is meeting G8 foreign ministers, did not immediately give further details.

The “Friends of Syria”, comprising the United States, European and Arab countries opposed to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, held their last major meeting in Rome in February.

[SKS comment: Some ..] Syrian opposition leaders met with Kerry on the sidelines of the G8 talks where they renewed appeals to be supplied with arms without going into specifics, although Kerry “didn’t promise anything,” a second State Department official said, also asking not to be identified.

So far the United States has refused to arm the rebels, fearing the weapons could fall into the wrong hands.

“We are always considering a variety of options. We are going to continue to aid the opposition, working with them in terms of what they need, in terms of what we’re willing to provide,” the official said.

Wednesday’s talks had focused on ways of changing Assad’s calculations about the outcome of the conflict which is now in its third year and has cost some 70,000 lives, according to the UN.

“We need to have this continuing conversation which is why we are going back to Istanbul,” the official said.

But he said the lunch with six Syrian opposition leaders including new prime minister Ghassan Hitto and hosted by British Foreign Secretary William Hague was “a good, substantive discussion”.

All sides emphasized “the importance of working together, the importance of them getting themselves more organized, which they said they were in the process of doing”.

UNITED NATIONS – Discussions between the United Nations and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government on a possible investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria have reached an impasse, U.N. diplomats said on Wednesday…

Syria, North Korea top G8 meeting in London: LONDON – Western and Middle Eastern nations trying to help the Syrian opposition in its war against President Bashar al-Assad will meet in Turkey on April 20, a U.S. official said on Wednesday as G8 foreign ministers gathered in London for a summit. | Video …

Turkey building refugee camps for Syrian Christians, Kurds: ANKARA – Turkey is building two camps along its far southeastern border with Syria to house a growing number of refugees from Syrian minority groups, mainly Assyrian Christians as well as ethnic Kurds, a government official said on Wednesday.